California Men’s Colony reports an 85,000-gallon sewage spill

A blockage in a California Men’s Colony sewer line caused a spill of about 85,000 gallons of raw sewage Friday morning with an unknown amount released into Chorro Creek, officials said.

Public health officials, however, said there is no threat to human or animal safety.

CMC plant manager Press Meyers said Friday evening that the spill occurred at 7:45 a.m. on property owned by Camp San Luis Obispo and was completely stopped by 4:30 p.m.

The spill was caused by a backup in the sewer line of “plastics and grit,” he said, and San Luis Obispo County Environmental Health crews as well as San Luis Obispo city and CMC staff diverted the sewage through two manholes on both sides of the blockage.

He said it was not immediately clear how much of the sewage was released into the creek, which flows into the Morro Bay Estuary.

“A portion did go into the creek,” Meyers said.

He said CMC staff immediately reported the spill to the necessary authorities including the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board and the San Luis Obispo County Office of Emergency Services.

A San Luis Obispo County Health Department news release stated that prison officials properly reported the incident. However, the Regional Water Quality Control Board, which regulates water quality and levies penalties for violations of state standards, had yet to weigh in Friday evening.

A representative from the agency could not be immediately reached for comment.

County Public Health Officer Penny Borenstein said Friday evening that the spill was “large,” but was unlikely to cause a risk to public health or to local flora and fauna due to it’s remote location, as well as the current amount of water flow in Chorro Creek.

“We don’t expect implications for humans or animals,” Borenstein said. “What spilled into the creek we expect will dilute as it reaches the estuary, even though (the spill is) large.”

She said few areas allow for human access to the creek from the location of the spill, but recommended people who hike in the area to stay on designated trails.

Crews remained on scene conducting cleanup efforts Friday evening, Meyers said.

This story was originally published December 18, 2015 at 7:01 PM with the headline "California Men’s Colony reports an 85,000-gallon sewage spill."